Adaptive electronic introductions

Abstract

A method for providing electronic introductions includes providing, with an electronic communication, an electronic introduction that gives additional information regarding a party to the electronic communication that is in addition to the electronic identification of that party. A system for providing an electronic introduction may include a computer configured to search at least one database for information about a party being introduced and compile an electronic introduction for the party incorporating the information; and an electronic communication function configured to provide access to the electronic introduction to a recipient of an electronic communication sent by the party using the electronic communication function.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for providing adaptive electronic introductions comprising:
 setting control parameters within an adaptive electronic introductions application; 
 automatically generating an electronic introduction according to said control parameters; 
 associating said adaptive electronic introduction with an electronic communication from a sender to a recipient; wherein said automatically generating an electronic introduction comprises 
 searching databases for information about both said sender and said recipient; 
 comparing information about said sender and said recipient for commonalities; 
 including at least a portion of said commonalities in said electronic introduction; and 
 automatically updating said electronic introduction with said electronic introductions application; said automatically updating said electronic introduction being triggered by a next interaction between said sender and said recipient. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising filtering information of said electronic introduction according to recipient settings, said recipient settings comprising a scope setting providing the recipient control over an amount of data displayed in the adaptive electronic introduction. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising displaying a visual indication of a proportion of data being hidden as a result of a given scope setting. 
     
     
       4. A method for providing adaptive electronic introductions comprising:
 setting control parameters within an adaptive electronic introductions application; 
 automatically generating an electronic introduction according to said control parameters; 
 associating said adaptive electronic introduction with an electronic communication from a sender to a recipient; wherein said automatically generating an electronic introduction comprises 
 searching databases for information about both said sender and said recipient; 
 comparing information about said sender and said recipient for commonalities; and 
 including at least a portion of said commonalities in said electronic introduction; 
 wherein said electronic introduction comprises an identification of the sender within an organizational hierarchy, said identification of the sender comprising identifying the sender's report to superiors. 
 
     
     
       5. A method for providing adaptive electronic introductions comprising:
 setting control parameters within an adaptive electronic introductions application; 
 automatically generating an electronic introduction according to said control parameters; 
 associating said adaptive electronic introduction with an electronic communication from a sender to a recipient; wherein said automatically generating an electronic introduction comprises 
 searching databases for information about both said sender and said recipient; 
 comparing information about said sender and said recipient for commonalities; 
 including at least a portion of said commonalities in said electronic introduction; and 
 pushing said electronic introduction to a recipient platform prior to a request by a recipient to access said electronic introduction. 
 
     
     
       6. A system for providing an electronic introduction comprising:
 a computer configured to search at least one database for information about a party being introduced and compile an electronic introduction for said party incorporating said information and create a temporal adaptation of said electronic introduction, content of said temporal adaptation being at least partially controlled according to an amount of time which elapsed between a preceding electronic communication between said sender and said recipient and a current electronic communication between said sender and said recipient; and 
 an electronic communication function configured to provide access to said temporal adaptation of said electronic introduction to a recipient of an electronic communication sent by said party using said electronic communication function. 
 
     
     
       7. A method for providing adaptive electronic introductions comprising:
 setting control parameters within an adaptive electronic introductions application; 
 automatically generating an electronic introduction according to said control parameters; 
 associating said adaptive electronic introduction with an electronic communication from a sender to a recipient; wherein said automatically generating an electronic introduction comprises 
 searching databases for information about both said sender and said recipient; 
 comparing information about said sender and said recipient for commonalities; 
 including at least a portion of said commonalities in said electronic introduction; and 
 tailoring content and search scope of said adaptive electronic introduction according to content of a collaborative exchange between said sender and said recipient.